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T-Mobile locked iPhone

P

peter5s

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jul 7, 2014
14
0
Hey guys

I updated my iPhone to iOS 8.1. and now I need a T-Mobile nano sim card to activate my phone. I live in Venezuela so I don't have access to any T-Mobile store or something.

So questions:

1) If I buy a T-Mobile sim card from e-Bay, will the card activate my iPhone?

2) Does that card need to be attached to a contract?

3) The sim card has to be already activated? Or can I just activate the iPhone with an unactivated T-Mobile sim card?

4) A friend traveled to U.S. recently and he has a T-Mobile micro sim card. If I borrow his card, will it work? Knowing that he only used the card while he was traveling, so it should have like 3-4 months without use. Asking this, because I would have to drive 4 hours to get there.

In addition, a store in the airport (5 hours away from my location) sells T-Mobile sim cards but with a month plan. It costs around 80$ so I guess it's not a option.

Thanks and sorry for the confusion
 
peter5s said:
Hey guys



I updated my iPhone to iOS 8.1. and now I need a T-Mobile nano sim card to activate my phone. I live in Venezuela so I don't have access to any T-Mobile store or something.



So questions:



1) If I buy a T-Mobile sim card from e-Bay, will the card activate my iPhone?



2) Does that card need to be attached to a contract?



3) The sim card has to be already activated? Or can I just activate the iPhone with an unactivated T-Mobile sim card?



4) A friend traveled to U.S. recently and he has a T-Mobile micro sim card. If I borrow his card, will it work? Knowing that he only used the card while he was traveling, so it should have like 3-4 months without use. Asking this, because I would have to drive 4 hours to get there.



In addition, a store in the airport (5 hours away from my location) sells T-Mobile sim cards but with a month plan. It costs around 80$ so I guess it's not a option.



Thanks and sorry for the confusion
Click to expand...


Any working T-Mobile sim will do. It does not need to have a plan on it.
 
I'm still wondering why a T-Mobile SIM is required if you're not using T-Mobile service?

My 6 arrived with 8.0.something and I upgraded to 8.1 -- it never needed to see the original TMO SIM, was always fully happy with the AT&T SIM I pulled from my 5S.
 
peter5s said:
Hey guys

I updated my iPhone to iOS 8.1. and now I need a T-Mobile nano sim card to activate my phone. I live in Venezuela so I don't have access to any T-Mobile store or something.

So questions:

1) If I buy a T-Mobile sim card from e-Bay, will the card activate my iPhone?

2) Does that card need to be attached to a contract?

3) The sim card has to be already activated? Or can I just activate the iPhone with an unactivated T-Mobile sim card?

4) A friend traveled to U.S. recently and he has a T-Mobile micro sim card. If I borrow his card, will it work? Knowing that he only used the card while he was traveling, so it should have like 3-4 months without use. Asking this, because I would have to drive 4 hours to get there.

In addition, a store in the airport (5 hours away from my location) sells T-Mobile sim cards but with a month plan. It costs around 80$ so I guess it's not a option.

Thanks and sorry for the confusion
Click to expand...

If it's unlocked, any sim will work.

If it's not unlocked, how are you using it without any sim?

If you've purchased a locked phone, and have no sim, and was using it as an expensive iPod Touch, why didn't you make sure you got a sim at the time of purchase?

This whole thread makes no sense....
 
WolfSnap said:
If it's unlocked, any sim will work.

If it's not unlocked, how are you using it without any sim?

If you've purchased a locked phone, and have no sim, and was using it as an expensive iPod Touch, why didn't you make sure you got a sim at the time of purchase?

This whole thread makes no sense....
Click to expand...

That's the point. It's not unlocked and I'm NOT using it with sim. I'm stuck in the activation part. I was using the phone with a turbo sim this whole time, but it no longer works because I updated to iOS 8.1. and I want to be able to use my phone at least as an iPod Touch, so there's the thread.
 
peter5s said:
That's the point. It's not unlocked and I'm NOT using it with sim. I'm stuck in the activation part. I was using the phone with a turbo sim this whole time, but it no longer works because I updated to iOS 8.1. and I want to be able to use my phone at least as an iPod Touch, so there's the thread.
Click to expand...

Sorry for the confusion but if your phone is locked, how will activating it help in any way? You dont need a sim to use it as an "ipod touch". Inserting a sim won't unlock it right? Or am I missing something?
 
Chatter said:
Sorry for the confusion but if your phone is locked, how will activating it help in any way? You dont need a sim to use it as an "ipod touch". Inserting a sim won't unlock it right? Or am I missing something?
Click to expand...

Yes, you need a sim to use it as an iPod Touch. You need the sim to ACTIVATE the iPhone. After that, you can remove the sim card and use it as an iPod Touch. That's what I want. That's the point of the whole thread.
 
peter5s said:
Hey guys

I updated my iPhone to iOS 8.1. and now I need a T-Mobile nano sim card to activate my phone. I live in Venezuela so I don't have access to any T-Mobile store or something.

So questions:

1) If I buy a T-Mobile sim card from e-Bay, will the card activate my iPhone?

2) Does that card need to be attached to a contract?

3) The sim card has to be already activated? Or can I just activate the iPhone with an unactivated T-Mobile sim card?

4) A friend traveled to U.S. recently and he has a T-Mobile micro sim card. If I borrow his card, will it work? Knowing that he only used the card while he was traveling, so it should have like 3-4 months without use. Asking this, because I would have to drive 4 hours to get there.

In addition, a store in the airport (5 hours away from my location) sells T-Mobile sim cards but with a month plan. It costs around 80$ so I guess it's not a option.

Thanks and sorry for the confusion
Click to expand...

I am not sure what all you planning to do with the phone after you get "In" because its not like you can use it with your local carrier...the phone is now locked to T-Mobile USA.

Also im not sure if T-Mobile operates in your country but that T-Mobile would be different than T-Mobile USA and I am sure that T-Mobile phones are not interpretable on various country T-Mobile networks.....

Sure you can get a T-Mobile Post paid SIM and roam for a bit but how long? They have limitation on it as to how long you can use the SIM outside USA and if your usage is too long too often they will disconnect you.

What you need to do is get your phone unlocked (Cost is high) but at least it'll be factory unlocked for all networks.


EDIT: just read that you want to use it as expensive iPod Touch, well why don't you just order a SIM from eBay? It'll save you all the trouble about traveling etc and it'll be a SIM you can keep so you can use it if you decide to update or restore your new iPod
 
Last edited:
peter5s said:
That's the point. It's not unlocked and I'm NOT using it with sim. I'm stuck in the activation part. I was using the phone with a turbo sim this whole time, but it no longer works because I updated to iOS 8.1. and I want to be able to use my phone at least as an iPod Touch, so there's the thread.
Click to expand...

Yes, if you just want to use it as an ipod touch then any tmobile sim will get you passed the activation and into the homescreen.
But as you know it will not work with any other carriers sim.
 
peter5s said:
Yes, you need a sim to use it as an iPod Touch. You need the sim to ACTIVATE the iPhone. After that, you can remove the sim card and use it as an iPod Touch. That's what I want. That's the point of the whole thread.
Click to expand...

Got it. Thanks for 'splainin. Just use your friends sim or get one cheap online. Good luck.
 
any tmobile usa sim even dead sim will do the trick. just make sure you have wifi connection.
You can also unlock it from tmobile for about $100. that's what i would do.
 
Hey.

I put my friends T-Mobile sim card on the iPhone and it didn't work. How can I be sure what's the carrier of my phone? I thought it was T-Mobile because that's what the seller told me.
 
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